


Too pure

by UmiAzuma



Category: Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft
Genre: Chronic Pain, Disabled Character, F/M, Gen, How Do I Tag, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Orcs, Orgrimmar, Physical Disability, Why Did I Write This?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-05
Updated: 2019-09-05
Packaged: 2020-10-10 20:20:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20534006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UmiAzuma/pseuds/UmiAzuma
Summary: Anduin is too good for this world, too pure.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a warcraftheadcanonoftheday ask:
> 
> "For orcs, if the person in front of them is more cute, has a better smell and has softer hair than their own women, then it's not gay to think that it's cute. During a diplomatic Horde delegation to Stormwind, the orc guards who had never seen Anduin spent the whole time blushing as soon as he smiled at them, or putting back his hair behind his ear. This kid is really too pure!"
> 
> So basically, orcs wanting to please/impress Anduin because he cute :3

Uztum had worked hard to be part of the delegation of guards that would receive the High King of the Alliance.

Now he stood there, next to Osgink who looked stoically on. A group of Alliance soldiers approached the city, surrounding a cart, where Uztum suspected the king was. The cart stopped a few feet away from them, and a blood elf stepped out. Wait, a blood elf? Uztum frowned and looked at Osgink as the blood elf took a cane out of the cart and extended a hand to take out whoever was in there.

The blood elf held out her hand and another pale and slender one emerged from the cart, followed by a head of gold hair. Uztum clearly heard a few other orc guards hold their breath.

No one had seen the king Anduin before, so it came as a shock to them when the king appeared before them. He was not big and imposing, and as soon as he came out of the cart he hissed slightly, the blood elf offered him the cane she was holding, and with her arm hooked to his, they walked to the guards.

"Good afternoon." The small human said, and his voice was melodious, Uztum felt his face heat up.

Krastam, another guard, stood close to them.

"Overlord Saurfang is waiting for the king." He mumbled, Uztum and Osgink turned around and started walking, guiding the king into Orgrimmar. At some point, Uztum turned around and the blood elf was gone, the king walked very slowly a few feet away from them, two little troll children following him and looking curiously at his cane.

Uztum stopped and noticed the king was a little out of breath.

"I'm sorry." The human said, breathing heavily. "I had an accident a few years back and it comes back to cause me pain sometimes. Can we go a little slower?"

"Where's the blood elf?" Osgink asked, Uztum felt chastised on the king's behalf.

"Valeera went ahead to ensure my safety." Anduin shrugged. "I can walk, just not too fast."

Uztum and Osgink slowed down and walked on both sides of the king, until they reached a steep hill that would lead them to the Valley of Strength and to Grommash Hold. Anduin looked up and Uztum noticed he looked distressed.

"Oh…" the king said, looking at the hill that went up. And up. And up. "I don't know if I can go up there."

Krastam, that had been waiting for them to catch up, rolled his eyes and knelt in front of Anduin, offering his back to him.

"Climb, I will take you up there."

"Oh no, I can't do that! You're not a beast of burden or something of the sort."

Uztum could see Krastam blush a little.

"Well you hafta go up there somehow, human king." Osgink sighed and grabbed Anduin's arm to carry him over his shoulder, Anduin yelped and dropped his cane. Krastam smacked Osgink in the head. 

"You savage brute! That's not how you carry people!"

"You were gonna carry him like a monkey, you rotten broccoli!"

"Call me a rotten broccoli again you… you… Bell pepper!"

Osgink placed Anduin on the floor and proceeded to yell insults and trade smacks with Krastam. The king looked mortified. Uztum picked up his cane and sheepishly offered it to him.

"I can respectfully carry you up there, sir."

"Oh there's no need, I can walk, really I--"

Uztum carried Anduin like he weighed nothing in his arms. A big hand held his waist, the other held his legs safely, and as Krastam and Osgink fought on, Uztum carried Anduin up the steep hill.

"Will they be fine down there?"

"They're brothers, they fight like that all the time." Uztum walked away from the quarreling orcs. Anduin looked back to see a pair of guards, an orc and a troll, approach the brothers and yell at them to break it off.

Uztum carried the king up the hill and noticed so many things while he did.

For one, the king's hair was golden and smelled of Goldclover and something else Uztum couldn't put his finger on. It smelled like the tea the blood elves seemed to like so much but less strong. The king's skin was pale, not like that of the blood elves, but pale with a bit of yellow underneath, where blood elves were more pink. Uztum suspected if left too long in the sun, the king would probably not turn red like them.

And his ears were small, so very small. Uztum didn't know if he wanted to bite the small ears or protect them. 

As they moved further up, Uztum could feel the king's little hand on his chest, the other one behind his back, clutching his cane firmly. The small human king's hand was soft with slender fingers, and it was warm. So warm.

"I am sorry you have to do this, it must be embarrassing." Anduin said, sheepishly. 

"It is not." Uztum grunted, it probably came out less gentle than he wanted to, and he felt like kicking himself for it. "Can I ask why you have a cane, king?"

"Oh, I guess not a lot of people know this." Anduin laughed lightly, it sounded like some exotic bird's song. "A long time ago I was crushed under a bell by Garrosh Hellscream. It really did a number on my body. Usually I'm fine but the weather here is different, I guess my body is not happy with it."

Uztum tensed. Everyone had heard of Garrosh Hellscream and his crimes, but he didn't know this boy was the one he'd hurt. How could Garrosh do that to such a pretty person? 

They made it up, and a troll was up there waiting for them, looking on nervously. As soon as he saw them coming up the hill his face lit up.

"'Eeeyy little mon!" The troll waved at Anduin, the king also smiled widely and waved with his free hand.

"Hey, Zekhan!" When they were up at the top of the hill, Uztum set Anduin down gently, and the human was soon enveloped in strong troll arms. "Ouch ouch my arm, it hurts!"

"Sorry." The troll let go of Anduin and turned to Uztum. "Lord Saurfang be waitin for da king, what be takin so long?"

"The king can't go up the hill, he is injured."

"Why ya be not usin da elevator?" Zekhan raised a brow and Uztum blushed up to his ears. "Ya be wantin an excuse to put ya dirty paws on da little king, eh?"

"What? No! That's not what I wanted!" Uztum became very nervous, meanwhile Anduin smiled beatifically at him and took his hand.

"It's alright, I know your intentions were pure. Thank you for taking me all the way up here, it was very kind of you."

Uztum made a choked noise, looking at Anduin like he was some sort of apparition. Zekhan snickered.

"I be takin it from here, mon, Ovalord Saurfang be waiting on da little king. Off ya go."

Uztum scurried off, thinking he would never wash his hands again, if only to keep the feeling of the human king's pretty little hands on his own.

***

Zekhan hadn't seen the little mon in a while, he'd heard a few rumors here and there of what Garrosh Hellscream had done to him and he also spoke to the blood elf that guarded him. The king was having issues with his knees and needed assistance. If the talks between both factions were to be successful, the king had to be well taken care of.

Maybe they wouldn't have to worry about war for long with the little mon, he seemed very ready to talk peace and was nice to everyone, even that dirty pervert Uztum who just wanted to put his grubby paws on him. Anduin didn't seem to notice how everyone stopped what they were doing to look at him.

"Everyone has been very kind so far." Anduin commented. Zekhan walked as slowly as his long legs would allow it next to the king. The little mon held on to the troll's arm with his free hand. "I was actually worried people would not be nice when I got here."

"Ya be not needin to worry about dat, mon. People be nice in Orgrimmar."

It went without saying that both Saurfang and Go'el had actually threatened people to _be nice or else_ when the king came by. People didn't need to be threatened, however, they were genuinely curious about the king.

The little trolls were back, children from the orphanage, Zekhan noted. One of them eyed Anduin's cane curiously, it had elegant engravings all around it.

"What be dis?" The child asked, but Zekhan didn't think the king would understand Zandali, so he was about to reply for him.

"It is a cane, because my legs hurt." The king said before Zekhan could answer on his behalf, his Zandali sounded rough and a little broken, but it was to be expected. The child squealed and ran off, as if he hadn't been expecting the human to speak to him.

"Ya be hidin ya talents from me, mon! We could have been talking in Zandali a long time ago!"

"We should! I started learning a while ago, but I haven't had anyone to practice with. I can speak in orcish with my teacher but I have been learning Zandali on my own."

"There be lotsa people here to practice with, mon! Ya be staying for a few days too no?"

"Yes, I'm looking forward to it! I've always wanted to come to Orgrimmar and actually _see_ Orgrimmar. Father used to tell me things about this place."

They finally finally reached Grommash Hold, Anduin could see Overlord Saurfang standing outside, next to the tiny figure of Valeera Sanguinar. 

"Ya father eva been to Orgrimmar?" Zekhan asked with a frown.

"No, he was here for a short while, but he did live in Durotar." Anduin smirked. "As a gladiator."

"Gladiator?" Zekhan repeated as they reached the overlord and the blood elf. In a nearby tent, an old troll smoked from what looked like a long pipe.

"Yes, you've probably never heard of him, it was a very long time ago. They used to call him Lo'Gosh."

The old troll choked on the smoke, and Anduin distinctly heard someone inside the tent dropping a bunch of dishes. Saurfang looked like he had seen a ghost. Valeera giggled.

"You mean to tell me your father is the legendary gladiator Lo'Gosh?" Zekhan raised a brow in disbelief. "My Fa'da saw him fight once in the arena! That can't be!"

"It's a _very_ long story, but yes."

"Shall we go inside now, Your Majesty?" Valeera interrupted. "The representatives of the Horde are waiting."

"Oh of course, thank you, Valeera." The blood elf offered her arm for Anduin to take. The king turned to Saurfang. "Please thank your guards for me, they were very kind." 

Saurfang nodded, there was a faint blush in his face that Anduin didn't notice. Valeera did, however, she giggled again as she guided Anduin to the hold. There was a large table with a few representatives of the Horde, Anduin had decided to come alone with only his guards and Valeera. A show of trust.

Valeera helped Anduin sit, and the young king waved slightly at Baine. The tauren leader waved back. Valeera stood behind the king, and Zekhan did the same behind Saurfang. Go'el was sat on the other end of the table, a small orc child on his lap. An orc with an apron approached Anduin and asked if he had need of anything, the king just asked for some water. 

"It's nice to finally put a face to the king of humans." Another blood elf said. Anduin knew this was Lor'themar. Valeera rolled her eyes. "I trust that your travels were not too difficult."

"I've never liked to be on ships, but the ocean was very kind this time around."

"Why not take a portal? I hear you have a _great_ mage in your ranks." Sylvanas, who had _promised_ to be on her best behavior today, asked with a sardonic smile. 

"It would have been easier, yes, but I didn't want to come by so soon, traveling by ship would give the people time to figure out my accommodations, I guess."

"Ah yes, the little lion is staying here for a few days. I hope you find Orgrimmar as horrid as I do."

"I doubt it." Anduin smiled as pleasantly as he could in the presence of the lady Windrunner. "Everyone I have met so far has been very kind."

"So I've heard." Commented Lor'themar with a snort, as the orc from before returned with a small tankard with water for the king. Anduin thanked the orc, who blushed and let out a soft chuckle. "I didn't think the king was _that_ kind of person, flirting with the soldiers and the peons. It's a little embarrassing, isn't it?"

"Oh Lor'themar, dear, you flirt with them all the time." Sylvanas said, waving a dismissive hand.

"But _I_ am a blood elf!" Lor'themar said. "Flirting is part of my heritage!"

Baine rolled his eyes, so did Sylvanas, Go'el looked uncomfortable. Anduin frowned.

"What do you mean?" The king asked.

"His father was a slut too." Saurfang commented before taking a drink from his own tankard. Anduin nodded as if that made all the sense in the world.

Go'el gasped and covered the baby orc's ears. Baine snorted on his tankard. Sylvanas had the widest grin, directed at Saurfang. Lor'themar glared at the Overlord. Zekhan snickered.

The human king's visit would be very interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Anduin discovers his own allure and Sylvanas was going to be a bitch but wasn't.

Queen Talanji looked at the king of the Alliance with curiosity.

An interesting thing, those humans. She had met and sacrificed many to Bwonsamdi. This one even the loa seemed fascinated with. The little yellow haired human was sitting outside the hold, both hands on his cane, his blood elf guard by his side as a few orcs told him obviously exaggerated tales of some gladiator named Lo'Gosh.

"Are you having a fun time judging the little lion, queen Talanji?" Sylvanas Windrunner said behind her. The troll queen was bothered that she didn't hear her approaching.

"Da king of humans is interesting."

"Look at the silly little creature. They've been all over him for the past two days. He could flash them a smile and they'd all join the Alliance, no hesitation."

"Have you spoken to him?"

"Very briefly, I always end up angry when I do. All that pretend niceness of his…" Sylvanas made a disgusted face. 

Talanji felt that it didn't look like the little human's niceness was pretend. She turned away from the banshee queen and walked out of the hold, her ladies walking behind her. 

"Where are you going?"

"To introduce myself to da king, I be realizing we haven't met."

Sylvanas sighed and smacked Nathanos, making a head gesture for him to follow. This being on her best behavior thing was starting to get on her nerves.

***

Anduin listened intently as one other orc relayed the story of how Lo'Gosh defeated a beast with his bare hands in the arena. Valeera had done nothing to confirm nor deny any of the stories, so Anduin was taking some of them with a grain of salt. He heard someone approaching and Valeera was soon on guard, along with another two of Anduin's guards who were stood stoically behind him.

Anduin stood slowly. He had yet to meet the Zandalari queen as she had not been present on his first meeting with the Horde. So far everyone seemed in the best disposition to work something out. Both factions had lost so much in the last few battles and everyone Anduin had spoken to in Orgrimmar seemed eager to just  _ exist _ in peace. There seemed to be no malice behind the queen's approach of him.

"Greetings, King Anduin." Talanji bowed slightly, and so did her handmaidens. "I think we've not met before. I am Queen Talanji of da Zandalari trolls."

"I was looking forward to meeting you, Queen Talanji." Talanji offered her hand for the human king to shake, Anduin instead kissed it. Talanji tensed a little. "Forgive me, it's human custom, I hope I'm not offending you!"

"No, no! I be taken aback, we do not do dat in Zandalar." Talanji tried to smile as reassuring as she could. The king seemed less alarmed by this. "You seem at home with da orcs."

"They were telling me stories of my father."

"Oh? What would da orcs be knowing of ya fa'da dat you did not know?"

"My father spent a good deal of time as a gladiator in Durotar, it seems he was very popular."

Talanji made an appreciative noise, Sylvanas snorted, a few paces away. She didn't think Varian Wrynn was all that, and believed his time as a gladiator was wildly exaggerated by the orcs. She constantly heard stories, even heard them from Garrosh Hellscream himself. The orc might have been a pain but he genuinely admired the human king.

"And how do ya be finding Orgrimmar so far?" Talanji asked, taking Anduin's arm and pulling him away from the orcs, clearly wanting to speak with him on her own. The orcs took this as a sign to leave and occupy themselves with something else.

"Everyone has been very kind. The heat is so disrespectful, though, I'm still not used to it."

Valeera and Anduin's guards walked next to Talanji's two handmaidens, as the two monarchs approached what seemed like a market. 

"It be so dry, no? Not at all like Zandalar. Ya be coming to Zandalar soon, yes?" 

"If I am invited, I suppose."

"Ya be invited, King Anduin, but do not bring da human mage, she's not popular there."

Anduin laughed. He knew of Talanji and Jaina's little  _ encounter _ and Jaina didn't seem to want to visit any of these places anyway. She only ever spoke to Baine or Thrall and his wife and children, and was very on edge around anyone else. 

Talanji stopped to admire a few ripe cactus apples. The fruits were red and shiny and Anduin looked at them with bright eyes, he hadn't eaten anything since he had breakfast with Thrall and his family a couple of hours ago, his children seemed eager to feed Anduin and teach him words for food in orcish that Anduin parroted for them expertly. He'd dealt with Vereesa's sons a few times and had some experience with children. When comparing Durak and little Taretha to Giramar and Galdarin, the children weren't different at all. 

Maybe one day, when all this was over, the two pairs of siblings could meet. Anduin would be happy then.

Valeera and Talanji quickly glanced at each other, noticing the vendor seemed to look at Anduin quite intently. It was a young female orc with long hair in little braids. She took one of the cactus apples and offered it to the human king, who seemed taken aback by tis. 

"For me?" He asked, looking at the fruit and then at the orc girl. "How much for it?"

"Yes. A gift." She said, offering the fruit yet again. The troll queen and the blood elf looked at each other. There was amusement in Talanji's eyes. 

"Oh no, I can't possibly-"

"Take it, little lion." Sylvanas said, behind them. "It's rude to not accept a gift from a vendor. They like it when foreigners try the food they sell."

The girl took a knife and promptly cut the fruit in half. The inside was white with a few black seeds. She offered one half to Anduin, and he took it, staring at it for a moment.

"Go ahead." Talanji said. Valeera took a step forward and produced a small needle, which she used to poke the fruit. She looked at it against the sunlight. "What is that?"

"It's to know if the fruit has been poisoned." Anduin offered, the vendor girl looked offended.

"No poison! No honor in poison!" She said in broken common, Anduin raised a hand to try and appease her.

"It's to make sure. Maybe you didn't poison it but maybe someone else did, someone with no honor." He said, in orcish, the girl frowned, he sounded much too formal. Valeera put the needle away and handed the fruit back.

"It's safe." She said, and took a step back. Anduin smelled the fruit, it had a sweet scent, and he took a tentative bite.

Talanji, Valeera and the vendor girl all stared at him as he savored the fruit for a few minutes. Even his guards and the troll queen's handmaidens seemed to tense. Nathanos stood behind his queen, a brow raised.

Anduin made an appreciative noise and nodded. He took another bite of the fruit.

"It's very good! I've never had anything like this!"

"I sell the best cactus apples in Orgrimmar!" The orc girl said proudly.

"That you do! I might take some back to Stormwind with me!" 

"Keep fruit, pretty king!" She said in her broken common again. Talanji tried hard not to laugh, Anduin blushed at the comment. She took the king's arm again and walked away with him still munching on the fruit.

"I see a lot of the orcs around have the same attitude towards you, Little Lion." Sylvanas said casually. "They seem like they've never seen anything quite like you before. You are receiving quite the preferential treatment."

"Oh? I don't feel I am being treated any different from anyone else." Anduin frowned, Talanji laughed lightly.

"I think ya be underestimating ya own allure, Majesty." She said. "Every orc I be seeing around be taken with ya as soon as dey be seeing ya. It be like ya be bewitching dem!"

"Of course not!" Anduin's frown deepened. Sylvanas took his other arm and hooked it with hers, it was the most she'd ever touched him so far. 

"Queen Talanji is right. You seem to not realize how much the orcs around here are looking at you, how different they are around you. All the posturing and showing off they do."

"I… I thought that was just usual orc behavior." Anduin bit his lip and seemed genuinely concerned with this discovery. Talanji gave his hand on her arm a gentle pat.

"It be not a bad thing. Ya be a pretty human, use it to ya advantage!"

They arrived with another vendor, this one had jewelry made with what seemed to be teeth and bones from animals. The orc instantly offered any of his merchandise Anduin liked for free. Sylvanas raised a brow.

"Why only him, though?" She asked casually. She knew the answer well enough. The orc started sputtering and Anduin made a dismissive hand gesture.

"Don't listen to her, she's being  _ mean _ to you." He said. 

Anduin was so focused on looking at the jewelry he didn't see the troll queen and the banshee exchange a look. 

"Little lion, can you do something for us? We just want to prove something to you." Sylvanas said, Anduin looked curiously at her. "See that blood elf over there? The one in the mount."

"Yes."

"Walk to him, looking down, and when your paths cross, look up at him quickly, then look away again."

"Why?"

"Just do it!" Sylvanas pushed him in the direction of the champion, Anduin looked back and she and Talanji made hands gestures for him to go on.

He walked over to the blood elf in his mount, as soon as he was close enough to be seen, he did what he was told, looking up and meeting the elf's eyes, then averting his gaze again. The blood elf turned to look at him as he kept walking and looked so hard he fell off his mount and into a fruit cart.

He was a little scared and startled when Sylvanas and Talanji joined him.

"I think we were right." The Banshee queen said.

"What was that?"

"Dat was flirting, and ya did it beautifully!" The three looked as someone chastised the champion and some orc helped him out of the fruit cart.

"I didn't… I didn't mean it…" Anduin looked mortified, the elf patted his head.

"It's not your fault, you're pretty, learn to use it to your advantage."

  
  


Anduin returned to the hold later that day. He returned to the cactus apple vendor and bought some fruit that the orc girl insisted in gifting him. When he was safely in the room, he sighed.

Maybe Talanji and Sylvanas were right, maybe he was taking advantage of the orcs because they thought something of him. When he was a child many nobles said he'd become "a heartbreaker" when he grew up. That made him very uneasy. He didn't  _ mean _ to do it, he didn't  _ want _ to do it, this was just the face he was born with.

He looked at himself in the little mirror, and didn't like what he saw. He'd never liked his face, never liked that it was the first thing people pointed out about him. He was pretty, he knew it, but he didn't  _ exploit _ it, didn't use it to his advantage. This meant he had never been with anyone or even kissed anyone. And though he had often thought of what being in love would be like, he always had to wonder if people only cared about how pretty he was.

There was a knock on the door and Anduin moved away from the mirror, from the image he so despised, to open it. In front of him was an orc Anduin had met before, the one who helped him get to the Hold when he arrived at Orgrimmar. 

Sometimes when he closed his eyes, he still felt those strong arms around him. He blushed.

"King Anduin." The orc, Uztum was his name, began talking, shifting from one foot to another. "The Warchief wonders if you have had dinner, asks if you would like to join the Horde leaders for it."

Anduin shook his head. "Thank the Warchief for me, I am not hungry."

"I see." The orc looked a little disappointed and made to leave, then turned around. "I wanted to say, King Anduin…"

"Yes?"

"Don't believe what Zekhan said. I meant no harm by carrying you up the hill, my intentions were not bad at all."

"I know, Uztum, thank you very much for your help."

"I have great respect for you, and your father! I saw him once in the arena, he was a mighty warrior."

"So I've been told by everyone here! He was very admired!"

"Some grieved him here as well. The mighty Lo'Gosh, can't believe he's gone… I am sorry for your loss, King Anduin."

Anduin considered the orc for a moment, then smiled at him.

"Would you accompany me to the coast, Uztum? I'd very much like to be by the sea right now."

They walked to the coast, Uztum offered Anduin his arm for the human to take. They sat in a log that Uztum said belonged to some old Kul Tiran ship that had attacked Orgrimmar a long time ago. Anduin sat and looked on at the ocean, the breeze moved his hair gently, Uztum glanced at him and then blushed and looked away.

"King Anduin?"

"Yes?"

"Do you like it here?"

"Here in the beach or here in Orgrimmar?" Anduin frowned, not understanding the question.

"Here, in Orgrimmar, I just always wondered what it was like in other continents, what people perceived of us…"

"I like it here, it's very nice! I don't think I could live here, the heat is just not for me but-"

"When will you go back home?"

"I… in a few days?"

"How many days?"

"A fortnight, I think?"

Uztum nodded like he'd decided something, he fiddled with something in one of his bags for a moment, then opened the bag and offered a wooden little statue to Anduin.

"What is this?"

"I am good at wood carving, I made a wood statue of you as best as I could, it is for you."

Anduin looked carefully at the statue. Every detail, from his hair to the curves of his eyes was incredibly accurate and lovingly carved.

"This is wonderful, Uztum, thank you very much."

Anduin admired the little wooden bust. 

His face didn't seem so terrible to look at when seen through the eyes of someone else.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot for the life of me find the tale of the three warriors, I read it on Tumblr :(

Anduin didn't see a lot from Uztum after that. 

Until a few days later, he was eating alone in his room on the hold when someone knocked on his door. Valeera stood at attention, and Anduin motioned for her to open the door. 

Uztum was there, he looked sheepish, Valeera narrowed her eyes. 

"Is there something you need?" 

"Let him in, Valeera." Anduin said, the elf looked at him, confused. "Uztum is a friend."

Valeera nodded and stepped aside to let him in. When the door closed behind Uztum, Valeera was gone, back into the shadows.

Uztum stood awkwardly in front of Anduin for several minutes, the king smiled encouragingly. Whatever Uztum needed to say, it was alright for him to say it. The orc sat in the other wooden chair in front of Anduin.

"You will leave soon."

"Yes I will."

"Before you leave, may I tell you a story?" Anduin noticed Uztum was fiddling with a bunch of wildflowers. He frowned.

"Go ahead."

"It is the story of three warriors who all loved the same maiden. The three of them decided to offer her something to signify their affection for her, but ultimately, the choice of who would be an ideal mate would be hers."

Anduin tilted his head slightly. Uztum coughed nervously. 

"The first warrior approached her with fresh and fragrant flowers. He said those flowers were not as beautiful as she was, but he hoped she would cherish them as he did her."

"That's sweet."

"But she took one look at the flowers and said ' beauty is short lived, and fleeting. My beauty will go away one day, and I will wither like these flowers. You only value me for my beauty. You will not be an ideal mate.' And refused him."

"She was right!" Anduin supplied. "Beauty is fleeting, and a good life companion isn't always one that is beautiful."

Uztum smiled and placed the messy wildflowers on the table in front of Anduin.

"I am glad you understood that."

He got up and left, Anduin looked at the flowers in confusion. What did this even mean?

  
  


The next day, Uztum brought Anduin several birds and presented them to the king while he was reading. Anduin looked confused at this.

"The second warrior," he began, "brought a great beast he'd hunted and presented it to the maiden. He said 'I killed this with my own two hands, for as long as we are mates, you will want for nothing, for I will provide for you.'"

Anduin raised a brow. Was this part of the story? 

"The maiden looked at the kill and said 'Impressive indeed, but you do not see me as an equal but as a possession. I shall be no one's trophy. You will not be an ideal mate.' And refused him too."

"I would think she's capable of hunting for herself."

"And you would be right!" Uztum smiled but left the birds there. Anduin poked one carefully. They were obviously dead.

  
  


The next day, Uztum convinced Anduin to come with him back to the coast. They sat on the same log they had sat in before and Uztum took his hands. In one of Anduin's hands, he placed a dagger, beautifully adorned in silvers and blues.

"The last warrior went to the maiden and offered her a knife. He said 'I cannot make fine weapons, but I can vouch for this dagger's edge. Should you ever need to defend yourself from anyone, even me, this dagger will do.'"

Anduin looked at the dagger, looked at Uztum, then back at the ornate object. Only then did he realize Uztum had been recreating the three warriors' gifts with Anduin. The dagger matched his armor.

"What did the maiden say?" He asked softly.

"She said, 'You will be a fine mate', and she accepted him. And for as long as they were mated, they had more good years than bad. She never had to use the dagger."

"That's a lovely story."

"I tried to make the best dagger, fit for a king, but I could only give you this. I can vouch for it's sharp edge, and it will protect you from everyone, even me."

Anduin looked at the knife in his hands, felt Uztum's forehead press to his temple, as the orc breathed him in. Anduin blushed.

"Tell me, would I make an ideal mate?" He whispered in Anduin's ear.

"I… I think you would, yes." Anduin breathed out, he could feel Uztum's breath against his skin, warm and gentle, and Uztum's hands taking his very gently.

"Would you accept me?"

"I…" Anduin felt his face heat up. At what point did he agree to be courted? Maybe when he first accepted the wooden bust. He found that he didn't care, Uztum felt nice and  _ honest _ around him.

"You don't have to answer yet, but I would like it if you did." Uztum rubbed his forehead to Anduin's temple, Anduin shivered. "Give me an answer before you leave."

Uztum pressed his lips to Anduin's temple, then as quickly as he'd been there, he was gone. Anduin felt suddenly very cold without the orc's warmth around him.

That night he could not sleep. He held onto the dagger Uztum had gifted him. He looked at the wildflowers, that had began to wilt now, and remembered how good the birds' tender meat had been. 

He had his answer. He put the dagger with his few traveling things so as to not forget it, and left the hold. 

Uztum was guarding the entrance, and Anduin was suddenly very shy. As soon as he saw the orc. He took a deep breath, marched over to him and made him turn around. Before the orc could respond, Anduin had taken his face with both hands and pressed a kiss to Uztum's lips.

Anduin had never kissed anyone, so it was an awkward press of lips and clash of teeth but Anduin felt like he was floating. Soon Uztum's hands were on his waist.

They parted and Anduin's eyes remained closed for a few moments.

"I thought of my answer…" he said, voice barely a whisper, he opened his eyes to meet intense chocolate ones. "Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes. Come with me."

"Will you show me other places besides Orgrimmar?"

"I will take you anywhere you want." Anduin laughed, and Uztum lifted him from the floor, they spun and laughed.

They would have more good years than bad. Anduin was sure.


End file.
